BECAUSE WE THINK SHARING IS IMPORTANT

25 TH ANNIVERSARY

Why it is important to have a dynamic approach to IQNet product portfolio

Although the Czech Republic is one of the smaller countries of Europe and the world at large, it has a big potential in management system certifications. Organizations in the Czech Republic are interested in obtaining various management system certifications which are not as traditional as the ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO/TS 16949, OHSAS 18001 and ISO/IEC 27001 certifications and certifications according to a number of other well-known standards. In this case we can make use of common products developed for the global IQNet network, in which the CQS certification body is involved on behalf of the Czech Republic. Although majority of the members have a broad portfolio of their own services in the area of management system certifications, there are specialties here which not every member of the IQNet is able to offer to their clients, and hence it is important to have the opportunity to make use of the offerings and experiences of the IQNet as a whole, but also those of individual IQNet members. Let us use as an example certification according to SA8000, which concerns social responsibility. Obtaining accreditation for certification according to this standard is very demanding on defining procedures and documentation, as well as on demonstrating the auditors’ qualification. Therefore, the IQNet has obtained accreditation and those members who have satisfied the conditions and offered their qualified auditors for this specification, can make use of this accreditation and offer it within their region. CQS has made use of this opportunity and thus is able to take advantage of the IQNet international network. In a similar way CQS has also used the opportunity of providing certification of the management system of social responsibility. IQNet had set up a team which created a certification schema for certifying the management system of social responsibility, and here too, IQNet members can make use this certification schema, and to offer it. In the area of management system certifications are thus being quickly created new and new narrowly oriented certification schemas, as a result of which it is better in these cases to make use of shared experiences and capabilities. Within the IQNet certification network it is a good idea to create for this specialized schema joint pro-jects, the outcome of which will be a common product and subsequently also the opportunity to offer this product to clients the world over. This will enable us to make use of the offered potentials and, mainly, of the experiences in the area of certification of people from around the whole world. Another possibility how to make use of the partnership among the IQNet members is to contact directly a particular IQNet member and ask them for cooperation in the certification according to a concrete standard or specification which even IQNet is unable to offer. Thus every IQNet member can use the help of another member with an offer of certification which is very specific. It is apparent that the IQNet certification network is able to offer a broad portfolio of its services throughout the entire world, and that the members have been making use of this opportunity to satisfy their clients and to provide them with certification which the clients have been asking for. We see this as a big advantage offered by an international certification network, and therefore we at CQS are trying to make a maximum use of the offered opportunities within the IQNet international network.